Some really important advice…
We can safely say that we know pretty much most of the pitfalls of a website project, and our aim is to keep you safe from them. Follow the key points at the bottom of the page here or book a consultation to learn more, and your project should run smoothly. We use the car sales analogy again, as we do throughout this site, because we all understand buying a car. You see cars advertised on television with a “from” price, but by the time you driver it off the forecourt it’s twice the price with all the optional extras. Don’t let that happen to your website!
Here’s what you’ll get from your consultation
- A full list of your website project requirements and how much you should expect to pay for them.
- A list of things you don’t really need!
- An idea of project timescales and what you will need to contribute at each stage to hit deadlines.
- A list of decisions and guidance on each of those decisions.
- A list of questions to ask so you aren’t caught by smallprint.
- A list of things you should expect to pay for, and equally a list of things you really shouldn’t be charged for.
What are you waiting for?
If you have questions about our services, or general questions about how websites can add value to your business, let us know via the form below and we will be happy to talk to you.
Keep it Simple
If this is your first website, go with the bare minimum. Live with it for 6 months and then review. Nearly all our rebuilds involve removing content & functionality that was never used. Don’t pay for something you don’t need! It’s fine to start simple and add more in once you are up and running, you’re still only paying for it once. It’s easy to get carried away flicking through glossy brochures, but really, how often do you use heated rear seats? And haven’t you got a perfectly good sat nav on your phone?
Be Prepared
You can’t just walk into a showroom and drive away with a car – you need a driving license for a start! It’s the same with websites. We will not only provide you with the list of things you need in place before you start, we will also help you with the items that are missing.
Be realistic
And be practical. You wouldn’t expect to pay the same price for a smart car as you would for a ferrari. Yes, a ferrari is nice, but would you pop to the shops in it? Know your budget, and understand your real needs. That way, the compromise decisions – and there are bound to be some – will be easier. It’s amazing how many clients looking for an online shop to sell 3 products ask us to recreate Amazon, complete with “people who bought this also bought…”
Understand What’s Involved
A common problem when preparing for a website project is people don’t know who does what. Does a car dealer teach you to drive? Does your service engineer fill the car up with diesel? The answers to these questions are fairly obvious, but in the world of the internet, things are not so cut and dried.
For example, what if your internet goes down? Did you know you should really be talking to your Internet Service Provider rather than your web designer? What is an internet service provider anyway? We can answer all these sorts of questions for you.
There’s No Such Thing as “Done”.
Your business doesn’t stand still. Your website shouldn’t either. There are a number of things you would want to have once you have driven the car off the forecourt. Most car dealerships will give you a free check up a month or so after you buy the car, but servicing thereafter is up to you. We will help you make the right choices about aftercare for your website, and the costs involved keeping your website functioning to its full potential. This includes expenses that you don’t need. Are you paying someone to check the oil during your service, when you did that yourself only last week? We’ll help you eliminate these redundant costs!
Keeping Your Site Legal
And finally, we will also help keep you legal. When you drive your sexy new car off the forecourt, you know you need insurance, and an NCT after 2 years. They’re obvious. But what about your number plate? Did you know you could get fined for displaying the county of origin in English instead of Irish?
Similarly, did you know that:
If you are a limited company, your website must display the name and legal form of your company, as well as the place of registration, registered address and company registration number.